If you have ever felt self-conscious about missing teeth, dentures can help you regain a confident smile. are removable false teeth that help you eat and speak normally after major tooth loss.
For the most part, dentures are pretty low maintenance. However, there are a few steps you should follow in order to care for them properly. Here are five things we recommend you do when you get new dentures.
1. Don’t Let Them Dry Out
Submerge your full or partial dentures in a glass of water or denture soaking solution when they’re not in your mouth. Dentures that dry out are at risk for warping and cracking. Just like natural teeth, your lower and upper dentures need to be kept wet so they don’t fracture.
2. Clean Them Properly
Brush your dentures like you would your natural teeth.
Dentures can give you bad breath if they’re covered in plaque and odor-causing bacteria. The best way to protect your oral health (and your breath) is to brush your dentures twice a day. This will also prevent stains from leftover food particles.
3. Don’t Forget the Gums
Your gums are just as important as teeth to your oral health, which is why you should make a habit of brushing your gums. Dental plaque on the gums is enough to cause gum disease. In fact, according to the , nearly half of Americans over the age of 30 have some form of periodontal (gum) disease.
Since your dentures sit on top of your gums, you’ll want to avoid having bleeding, swollen, or sore gums. Prevent gum disease by brushing your dentures and gums every day. Soft toothbrush bristles not only clean plaque and food particles, but also stimulate your gums.
4. Practice Your Speech
When you first get dentures, you may have difficulty saying certain words without a lisp. It takes a while for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to get used to speaking around dentures.
Rest assured, you won’t always speak with a lisp. In the meantime, our dentists recommend reading out loud from one of your favorite books to practice pronunciation.
5. Know How to Correct Slips
Before you leave the office with your new dentures, our dentists will make sure the appliance fits comfortably. However, don’t be alarmed if your dentures occasionally slip. Dentures slip when you make abrupt movements, usually when sneezing, coughing, laughing, or even smiling.
To discreetly adjust your dentures in public, gently bite down and swallow. If you notice your dentures slipping a lot, you’ll want to schedule an appointment with our dentists for denture repair. We will be able to slightly adjust the fit of your dentures so they fit comfortably without slipping.
Restore Your Smile with New Dentures
Our Wyoming, MI, dentures dentists pride themselves on delivering quality service to you and your family. We can restore your smile with new dentures that fit well and allow you to eat and speak with confidence again. To schedule an appointment, call Family Dentistry at (616) 534-5602, or contact us online.
This blog post has been updated.